Deadly Show Business
by Ronnie T.C
Summary: Summary Inside. Co-Written with DracoMalfoysSweetGirl.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: With husbands in the NYPD, Christi and Veronica have a lot to worry about. But with wives in the seductive art of show business (dancing and Broadway), Sheldon Hawkes and Don Flack have a lot to worry about as well. None of them are ever home, so big expensive houses go to waste. Marriages are in trouble because of life choices and careers. Family needn't go unnoticed in this mix either. Marriages aren't always perfect and pristine on top, especially not these ones.**

**A/N: This is all starting in season six when Danny is in a wheelchair when he got shot and is recovering.**

"Push yourselves, c'mon! Try harder!" Christina Messer-Flack yells at her ballet class. "You guys aren't trying, that's why you're failing! Good, Cassidy!"

Christi was a dance teacher at Julliard. She had lived in New York her entire life, younger sister of Danny and Louie Messer. She was interested in dancing her entire life, and her dream was to go to Julliard for college. When she accomplished that, she didn't think it could get better until she got a job teaching there.

She sneaks a glance at her husband, Don Flack, coming in to watch on his lunch break. He smiles at her and she smiles back, then ended practice.

"Go hydrate! You're losing water." she laughs, going over to Don.

She and Don had met when the team had a case in her old apartment building. There was a murder, and when Don asked people if they knew the victim, he and Christi saw love at first site. He'd asked her to marry her four months later and they had been happy for five years, since she was twenty-one. They lived a rich life, lots of money and lived in one of the best neighborhoods in New York. They lived the life.

"How's class?" Don asked.

"Good." Christi said, "How's work?"

"Boring. No cases today."

"Good. That means no one can come and try to shoot you. You aren't in danger."

Don laughed and kissed her. The door then opened in in walked Veronica Hawkes, Sheldon's wife. Veronica was a Broadway actor. She and Christi had met in Julliard while Veronica studied acting. They became good friends. Christi had set her up with Sheldon a month into her and Don's relationship. Sheldon and Veronica were also rich, living similarly to Christi and Don.

"Cassidy, you crazy bitch!" Veronica yells after Cassidy, "I'm naming my damn children after you!"

"I love you too, Veronica!" Cassidy giggled before disappearing into the restroom.

"What was that about?" Don asked.

"I thought you were naming your children after us." Christi giggled.

"I'll tell you later."

"Did she get you an audition?" Don asked.

"For what? _Follie_?" Christi joked.

"No. All the good ones like _Hair _and _West Side Story_, they've all been done… By me!"

"You have done a lot. You're known for doing two performances in one night." Don chuckled.

"That's me, I'm Veronica Santos. I started at fifteen. Ten damn years in that theater."

"I thought you lived in New Jersey." Don said.

"Cambridge, Don, Massachusetts. I ran away to go on Broadway when I was fifteen. Cassidy and I, we were good friends, we went together. We were all about acting. She's doing this very class to land a certain role."

She got her first role when she was sixteen as Alexi Darling in _Rent_. That started her career. She then played Maria in _West Side Story_, Sheila in _Hair_ (she wore a blonde wig for that), Velma Kelly in _Chicago_, and Kate Monster in _Avenue Q._ That had been her last performance so far.

"But anyways, it wasn't an audition." Veronica said, "Like I said, I'll tell you later."

"Okay."

"Chris, wanna go to lunch?" Don asked.

"Sure. Where at?"

"I'm not sure. Veronica, wanna join us?"

"Actually, I'm going to the Russian Tea Room with Cass." Veronica said as Cassidy showed up at her side, dressed and nice. Cassidy was a bubbly, overall happy person. She had warm, slightly chubby features, and a cute-as-a-button quality to her with her thick, voluminous strawberry blonde hair and freckles crossing the bridge of her nose. Veronica contracted next to her with thinner features. She had a colder sort of beauty with thin lips and skinny features. Her hair was black in color and framed her face perfectly.

"You're welcome to join us." Cassidy said. Veronica nodded.

"Want to?"

"Christi, do you?" Don asked.

"Sure. I've never been to the Russian Tea Room before." she said as they headed out.

"Umm, you might wanna stop by your house first. Their dress code is business casual or dressier." Veronica said. They were both wearing nice designer cocktail dresses and high heels.

"Yeah, that's a good idea." Don laughed.

XXX

"Oh my God. How come we don't eat here more?" Christi asked Don once they were seated for lunch.

"Cause you don't have me to pay the bill." Veronica laughed.

"Oh, you don't make any more than we do." Christi sighed.

"At least two thousand a week for each show I do argues."

"I have more money than both of you combined," Cassidy said, flourishing her menu as she opened it.

"How?" Christi asked, disbelievingly.

"My daddy's a billionaire. I have my trust fund in my wallet."

"You guys are lucky. You come from money." Christi said.

"Well I lived with only my dad," Veronica started, "And his trust fund was frozen from the minute he turned eighteen… I didn't get a lot in mine, and I think that this all means my inheritance is frozen too." she shrugged nonchalantly, "Not like that matters now." Then, Christi's phone rang. "You know, Christi, cell phones aren't permitted in the Russian Tea Room." Veronica laughed.

"Hello?" Christi answered it, "…Alright, I'll be right there. Don't worry."

"You'll be right where?" Veronica asked.

"Danny needs me over to help with Lucy."

"Alright. Hey, wanna come to dinner with Sheldon and I tonight?"

"Where at?" Christi asked, collecting her stuff.

"The Pink Elephant."

"You go all these weird places that I've never eaten at."

"It's a club, dear, don't worry."

"Okay. I'll see you when?"

"Six sharp."

"Alright, bye." Christi said, then left.

"Hey, I gotta get back to the lab." Don said, "I'll see you tonight."

Veronica sighed and looked at Cassidy.

"That was rude." Cassidy said.

"Well, you know the deal with Danny. He got shot and now he's in a wheelchair. Christi helps him out."

"I meant Don. He just left right when Christi did."

"Well he's not too comfortable around me without Christi." she laughed.

Cassidy smiled, "You're intimidating."

XXX

When Don got back to the lab, there was still no case, and nothing to do. He went to the break room to get some coffee. Stella snuck up on him very quietly, and much a hand on his back.

"Ahh!" Don jumped, nearly spilling his coffee. He turned and narrowed his eyes at Stella, who was laughing at him. "Not funny, Stella."

"Very funny, actually." she said, "How's Christi?"

"What about her?" Don asked.

"You're all lovesick." Stella teased him, "You two are like teenagers, even years and years into marriage."

"Whatever…" Don grumbled.

"what'd you do?"

"Almost had lunch, but then we both had to go. Cassidy and Veronica were left alone."

"Hope they didn't mind."

"Me too." he chuckled, "Still no work?"

"That's right."

Then, the door opened. Adam walked in and over to Don and said, "I have been dumped by a snobby, pretentious bitch for the last time. Hook me up with a dancer."

"How?"

"Christi's friends!" Adam suggested, "They're all dancers. They're all hot."

"Actually, I have a perfect girl for you…" Don said, thinking of Cassidy, "That is if you don't mind a Broadway broad."

"Is she hot?"

"I'd say so…"

"Awesome!"

"Meet us at the Pink Elephant tonight at six." Don said, getting his phone out and calling Veronica.

"Yeah, Don?" she answered.

"Bring Cassidy to dinner. I'm setting her up with a guy."

"I knew this would happen eventually. Will do. Bye, Don." she said and hung up.

Stella laughed and Don, "You're a matchmaker!"

"He's my wingman." Adam corrected her. Sheldon came in then, and went over to the coffee machine.

"I hear you almost had lunch with my wife, Don." Sheldon laughed.

"Look, we both had to go."

"She was kind of mad. But oh well. So how is she?"

"Well I mentioned you when we were driving. She got real angry and muttered something, then changed the subject."

"Oh."

"What's going on with you and her?"

"We've just been having some problems."

"Like what?"

"Everything. I don't clean up after myself, I spend too much time exercising, I expect sex on the spot after I come home from running, I work too much, I think her only place is in the kitchen… We fight about the bills, about money, about life… About everything."

"Sorry, man. Try not to fight tonight though, alright?"

"What's going on tonight?"

"We're going to the Pink Elephant."

"Damn it, I hate that place!"

"Do you think Veronica invited us there just in spite of you?"

"Knowing her… Totally."

XXX

That night, the girls showed up in small, glittering dresses while the guys showed in dressy casual suits.

"Adam, this is Cassidy." Veronica introduced Adam and Cassidy, "Cass, this is Adam."

"Nice to meet you." Cassidy smiled. Adam agreed and they went to their booth.

"Waiter!" Veronica stopped a man in a tuxedo carrying a tray of shots around, offering them to anyone, "We'll take those."

"Here you go," the waiter said, setting down the shots of vodka in front of them. Veronica put a ten in his jacket pocket. "Thank you." he said, then left.

Veronica picked hers up and held it up in a toast. The others followed suit, "To… Anyone wanna start the toast?"

"To friendship," Christi offered.

"And relationships," Don added.

"And new romances," Sheldon said.

"That we hope will work." Christi said.

"To careers," Adam put in.

"To show business!" Cassidy giggled then looked at Veronica, "To _Quebec_!"

"Yeah, to _Quebec_!" Veronica added. She clinked her glass with eh others, signaling the end, and downed it. The others did the same, then asked about _Quebec_.

"What is it?" Sheldon asked.

"Cass and I are making a play. We started it last month, but then she told me over lunch that it can actually work out."

"What's it about?" Don asked.

"Curiosity jinxed the musical…" Cassidy said under her breath, but loud enough for everyone to hear. She looked at Veronica, willing her not to tell.

"Cass is a worry wart, so I can't tell."

"Worry wart? You can do better." Cassidy scoffed.

"Cass is a superstitious, overanalyzing hermit who thinks way too much about the future," Veronica said in the same nonchalant tone she had used earlier, "So I can't tell you."

"Need choreography?" Christi inquired.

"Once we finish and once we get it approved and find actors and all… Most definitely." Veronica laughed.

"Are you writing the songs too?" Christi asked.

"We are."

"Well just call me when you need me."

"You know, you're taking on a lot of stuff." Sheldon told Veronica, "You're never gonna be around. You're never around anyway. You're always at the stage or rehearsal or doing something else."

"You're always gone too. When I wake up, you're already gone. When I get back from work, you aren't there. I spend the rest of the evening alone, go to bed and then you come home while I'm asleep. I never see you during the day either. Don has the decency to visit Christi at work during lunch."

"It's getting harder."

"How?" she asked.

Sheldon stayed silent for a few moments, then said, "I want kids. But you, you're all caught up in your career. I can never bring it up to you."

"Is that all?"

"Just… Your career is so much. You're always touring, you're always away."

"And your's is dangerous! You could get shot!" she exclaimed, "Look… I don't want kids… Right now. Maybe in a few months."

"What about work?"

"I can't stop working."

"Well just quit working so hard."

"I will when you do. I will when you spend a little time with me." she countered. She felt someone kick her under the table, and saw Christi glaring at her. "Stay out of it, Christi."

"Quit fighting."

"We aren't." Sheldon and Veronica said at the same time. Veronica sighed, "We'll continue this at home. Let's order."


	2. Chapter 2

As she paced around the nursery, Christi gently bounced her fussy niece as Danny slept. She had been over there since 9am helping Danny out while Lindsay was at the lab. She finally got Lucy down and then headed out into the kitchen to start making lunch for her and Danny. She raided the fridge of the freshly bought cold cuts and rolls for their lunch along with pasta and potato salad. She had stopped by the deli by her and Don's place to get the food.

She put the finished plates on the table then went to get her older brother up. It had been hard on the entire family. More so lately as he had been talking about giving up on the psychical therapy to get his legs working again.

After lunch, Christi got Lucy ready to go out. Christi sighed as she picks Lucy up and lay her in her car seat. She and Don had tried for kids a few times but she either miscarried or she just never ended up getting pregnant. They had tired for about two years then just gave up.

Christi envied Danny and he was just throwing it all away with him wanting to giving up.

She forced on a happy face and brings the carrier containing Lucy out into the living area.

"Ready Danny?"

"I'm not going," he stated simply.

"Like hell you are aren't! Danny don't give up! It's supposed to be hard!" she said.

"Fine," he said stonily.

Once they got over to the rehabilitation center, they head up to the floor they need to go to.

Christi sat there and watched Danny go through his therapy without even trying.

She was getting beyond frustrated with him now.

"Come on Danny push yourself!" his psychical therapist Linda pushed him.

"I need a break," he grunted.

"We just started!" Linda told him.

"I said I need a break!" he growled.

He reached over for his wheelchair and wheeled himself out.

That was the last straw for Christi and she got up and followed Danny.

"You are being so arrogant! You're throwing everything away! You don't even care anymore! Danny you have everything! You have a family! What about Lucy, huh? What are you going to tell her when she got older and asked what happened you and why can't you walk when you had the chance to walk again! Damn it Danny. You're lucky! You're able to have kids! Me? Yeah not so lucky! I can't even carry a pregnancy!" she growled at him in tears. She was so frustrated with her older brother.

"Fine, I'll try harder. For you," he said with a cocky smirk, trying to get her to smile.

She just sighed. She wasn't in the mood to bicker with Danny at that time.

They headed back inside and Danny worked on his physical therapy.

By the time they finished, Danny was very sweaty.

"Eww, bro you reek worse than you used to from when you had baseball! Eww!" Christi squealed, scrunching up her nose.

"You wanna get a good whiff?" Danny teased.

"Eww! You are so disgusting! What Lindsay sees in you I have no idea!" She laughed and tickled Lucy. Lucy giggled and Christi smiled, then sighed.

"Hey, it's going to happen to you two. Just give it time," he told her.

"Danny we tried for two years and all it resulted in was miscarriages and me not getting pregnant what's so ever. Plus…I don't know it's stupid," she trailed off.

"What's the matter? Talk to me," Danny pushed his baby sister.

"It's nothing," she lied horribly.

"Christi," he looked at her reprimandingly.

She sighed and said, "I think he's cheating. I mean he really wants kids and I can't give him that. Forget it. It's stupid."

"No, it's not. Look let me talk to him tomorrow and then if I don't get anything out of him then we're going to follow him,"

"Thanks Danny but please just don't kill him," Christi said.

"I can't promise anything, but I'll try not to," he said.

The next day Danny wheeled himself into the squad room and looked for Don.

"Hey have any of you seen Flack?" he asked.

"What's up Dano?" Don asked.

"What's up with this coming home at ghastly hours of the night or not even coming home at night? Christi's a wreak!" Danny growled.

He had seen his sister hurt and used so much over the years all because she was a dancer.

Don doesn't say anything but just walked away. Danny growled and snorted. Something was up with Don and he didn't like it what's so ever.

Danny went back up to the lab in a bad mood.

He rolled into prints and sighed, pulling on a pair of gloves.

"Everything okay cowboy?" Lindsay asked, coming in.

"Not really," he grunted.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"Don maybe be cheating on Christi and she's really upset over it,"

"What are you going to do about it?"

"No idea." he shrugged apathetically.

"Just don't hurt him if you do something to him," Lindsay said.

"I'll try not to. I just don't want to see her hurt. She's been used so much growing up because she's a dancer. I had a feeling something like this was going to happen. They rushed into getting married. They were only dating four months before they got married,"

"Dan, they've been together for about six or seven years now. If they were having problems from the start they would have broken up sooner."

"I know, I'm just worried about her."

"I know you are. Don't worry, she'll be fine,"

XXX

Christi was at the school in one of the studios alone. The music was blasting. She was dancing to take her mind off of things. Don hadn't come home that night and it was bothering her.

She stopped and took a break. After she wiped all the sweat off of her face, she got some water. She looked at the time and showered, dressed and then made her way to the Da Silvano Restaurant were she was meeting Veronica.

She got their table and sees Veronica walk in and she waves her over.

"Damn you look exhausted," Veronica commented.

"I've been at the school dancing all morning,"

"Why?"

"Don never came home last night and lately he's been coming home at ghastly hours or not even coming home," she said softly.

"Well how about you and me go and follow him one night?"

Christi laughed and said, "You and my brother think alike; you should team up or something,"

"Good, you need someone else who can keep you level headed." She teased her.

"So how's _Quebec _going? Am I allowed to read the script?"

"Well tomorrow Cassidy and I are meeting up with two potential producers and no you can't read the script." Veronica told her.

Christi giggled and rolled her eyes.

"So back to you and Don." Veronica said.

"What's there to talk about? He just maybe cheating. I just don't have the proof so I can't say anything Veronica can we just not talk about this? I really don't want to talk about it." Christi said.

"Alright, we're going to follow him tonight. We'll follow him as soon as he leaves work tonight."

"We'll have to pick Danny up to probably as he really wants to go and do that as well."

Veronica nodded and they ordered their lunch. Once they finished, they went their separate ways.

Christi went back to the school. She had a class soon. Veronica, on the other hand, headed back to the Broadway studio.

Christi walked into her dance classroom and saw Don there waiting for her.

"Hey, where you? We had lunch plans." He asked worriedly.

"Lunch with Veronica. I waited for you to show and you never did so I went to lunch with her,"

"I got the times mixed up."

"Alright." She said, not really believing it.

"Babe." Don said.

"Leave it; I have a class to teach. I'll see you later at home." She said.

"We need to talk about it now. Why is Danny asking me about the hours I'm coming home or even why I'm not even coming home? What the hell is going on?" he asked.

"Leave it alone Donald! I said we'll talk about it at home! Now leave!" she growled.

He looked shocked. She only used his full name when she was furious and that means he'd be on the couch for a very long time.

Three hours later Christi walked into the house and threw her stuff by the door. She didn't care at the moment.

"Okay what the hell is the matter?" Don asked.

"You! My brother is asking because he cares about me and just wants me to be happy and right now I'm fucking miserable because you're either coming home at ghastly hours of the fucking night or not even coming home so yea there is a problem!" she yelled.

"Well what do you want me to do about it?" he asked.

She paused and looked him in the eye, "I want you to care!"

"I do-"

"If you did, then you would come home at night! You would pay attention to me more! If you cared, you wouldn't be cheating on me!" Christi screamed.

Don sputtered, "Excuse me? You think I'm cheating on you?"

"I know you are! I can't have a baby! You have every reason to!"

"But I'm not." he looked Christi in the eye, "Look, Christi, I love you. I love you more than anything. I didn't marry you just so I could divorce you. I married you because I love you, whether we have a baby or not. There's other options than you having a baby. We could get a surrogate for your eggs, we could adopt. I don't care that you can't have a baby. I don't need a baby. I just love you. Can't you see that?"

"No, not when I barely see you! Tell me why you never come home at night." Christi demanded.

"I'm working. I'm trying to make the money to afford this big house and your expensive lifestyle!"

"I make enough for that on my own!" she snapped, "I can handle it!"

"All your job can handle is the bills." he said, "You wouldn't know any of this, since you're not the one who does the taxes. You don't send in the bills, you don't balance the checkbook. What you do can only let us afford so much. I need to make up for the other half with extra shifts."

Christi was quiet, "Oh…" then she sighed, "Look, you don't have to do that. We'll move if we have to. We'll sell some stuff. You don't have to not be home to pay for all this."

"But you wouldn't have your designer labels, your French cuisine, your shiny sports cars." he said.

"Look, I grew up without all these toys. I can live without them." she said.

"Okay." he smiled. Christi hugged him and Don said, "Look, I don't wanna be like Sheldon and Veronica."

"What are they like?" Christi asked.

"They're like robots. They live the same life we do, but they indulge. They go to fancy places and eat caviar. Veronica dresses in Zac Posen and Sheldon drives an Aston Martin car to work. They're not really loving with each other in front of other people. They don't really have a sense of humor. They always pay for dinner and trips to the French Riviera. I don't think they really love each other."

"I just think they have a lot of problems."

"They're like robots." Don said again, "I never wanna be like them. I don't want us to be like them."

"We won't. They haven't even been married as long as us." Christi promised.

XXX

"Where are you going?" Veronica asked. She was standing in the doorway of her office. Sheldon had just tried to pass to go out the front door, but Veronica caught him.

"I need to go do something at the lab."

"What is is?" she asked, her eyes wide with anger. Her lips were pursed and her arms were crossed.

"I just need to do something real quick that I forgot to do today. I'll be back in no time." he laughed it off, kissing her cheek. He passed her and opened the front door, but paused when Veronica started talking.

"You better be home, or I swear I'll be out at the front gates yelling at everybody in the neighborhood that Sheldon Hawkes uses Viagra." she threatened.

Sheldon laughed nervously and said, "You don't have to do that." before leaving.


	3. Chapter 3

"You know," Sheldon commented to Veronica the following morning, "I walked up to get the paper this morning."

"And?" Veronica asked flatly. She was standing at the stove, back turned to him, cooking Sheldon up some pancakes before work. She found she had more energy to do things like cook at six in the morning. Or that's what Sheldon thought, anyway.

He was reading the newspaper at the table. He was fully dressed while enjoying the view of her backside because of her short, silk kimono robe (with nothing underneath, he might add).

"And," he continued, "John Rhodesy from next door. He came over and apologized for my erectile dysfunction."

"I told you, Sheldon. Twelve o' fucking clock is your curfew."

"I'm a grown man. I don't have a curfew."

"As long as you live with me, you better be in our bed by twelve every night or you'll suffer the consequences. They range from public humiliation to withholding of sex while I watch you watch me flounce around naked in kimonos!"

"Look, baby, I'm sorry-"

"Here's your damn breakfast." she growled, slamming the pan of half-cooked pancakes down in front of him. She went upstairs and began to go through her closet, and her trunk of shoes. Sheldon followed her up and put a hand on her back.

"Honey, what's wrong?"

She snorted, "Why would you think something's wrong?"

He laughed and said, "You're kidding me. You're elbow-deep in shoes right now."

"I'm always elbow-deep in shoes." she said, "It's nothing new-damn it!" She finally lost her patience and dumped the trunk over. Shoes spilled out and she picked up a pair of Jimmy Choo black suede ankle boots and threw them on the bed. They bounced and one fell off.

"Chill out, baby. I promise," he took her arms and made her look at him, "I promise I will not come home after midnight anymore. I promise."

"You'll be in bed with me every night?"

"Absolutely." he nodded.

She shrugged, "Okay."

"So you'll tell all the neighbors I don't take Viagra?"

Veronica shook her head, "I'm sorry, but the damage is done. But I love you."

Sheldon frowned but said, "I love you too. Now, why don't we take this robe off and-"

"Nope," she said, removing his hands from her waist, "You have to go to work. Make us money!"

Sheldon laughed and kissed her cheek before leaving. Veronica continued picking her outfit out. She dressed in a navy blue straight skirted dress with short flutter sleeves and a brown belt cinching the waist. She put on simple light brown peep-toe heels and went to the bathroom to do her makeup-light brown eye makeup and a touch of pink coral lipstick. Veronica ran a bit of volumizing mousse through her hair. She sprayed a little mist on it to make it shiny, and when she was done it was as if she just had her hair permed. Of course, her tight curls are completely natural.

She went downstairs, grabbed her large, black hobo handbag and took one last look at the mess in the kitchen. She shrugged and decided the maid would clean it, set the alarm and locked up. She got into her new Maserati and took off for Cassidy's house.

She knocked on her oak front door. She had always been so jealous. When Veronica built her house, she wanted an oak door but they had to settle for pine. Cassidy's house couldn't compete with Veronica's in some aspects. Veronica's kitchen was much larger, the backyard was much better and Veronica's pool was much nicer. However, the details of Cassidy's house never failed to amaze. Everything was so Victorian. The baseboards, the paneling, the times on the roof.

Cassidy opened the door in a long, fluffy, white bathrobe. Her hair was a mess and she looked like she'd just woken up.

"Morning, bitch." she muttered, inviting Veronica inside.

"I forgot that you usually wake up at noon, sorry." Veronica smiled, "Wake the fuck up and get dressed. I'll make you breakfast while we go over the script."

Cassidy grumbled and slammed the door to her room upstairs. She came back downstairs bright and shiny, wearing a white lacy tank dressed that she filled out better than the model at Fashion Week had. However, the dress was made to hang off a body, not to be fully occupied by it. Cassidy was carrying glittery sling-backs and her hair was in waves.

"Hey, sunshine!" Veronica greeted. She was cooking up pancakes for the second time that morning.

"So what are you here for?"

"To discuss Quebec. We've got the meeting with Lauren Pinnicci about producing it."

"When?" Cassidy asked.

"Noon."

"Alright. I'm am…" Cassidy came over and placed a stack of papers on the counter, "Producer material. I signed all the papers, I sighed a check."

"Where is said check?"

Cassidy pulled it from beneath the stack and held it up, displaying it prominently. She sang an angelic note and gave it to Veronica.

"I love you, Cass!"

Cassidy smiled, "That's all I could spare, I'm sorry."

"Our production budget is a hundred and twenty mil. This is only fifty mil, I just hope Lauren loves me enough to fork up the other seventy."

She shrugged, "I'm glad to be a producer. You're the writer and director. If we need, we cal get a third producer. It's fine if we have a fourth on board our boat."

"We need the money to make it a yacht. Then we can get Christi on board, and actors and actresses. We can get the cast on board and the crew and everything."

"It'll be easy to get crew. We just need to go to the college and ask students to work lights." she said. Veronica laughed and nodded. Cassidy asked her, "Did you get the play copyrighted?"

"Absolutely. Took care of that yesterday. And Sheldon thinks I don't do anything useful during the day." Veronica chuckled mockingly.

"He just doesn't care about the finer arts."

"He doesn't care about arts of any kind."

XXX

"Yes! Check, baby!" Veronica squealed in the car. They had gotten the money from Lauren and had began to plan everything. "Meeting Friday. Right on, honey."

"Drive me to Julliard for my class, would you?" Cassidy asked.

"Sure." Veronica said, making a frantic U-Turn and cutting someone off. They honked and she honked back. "Jesus, these drivers out here have no sense!"

"We know… You're one of them!" Cassidy exclaimed, "You're gonna kill us!"

"You insult me. No backseat driving."

"I'm in the passenger's seat."

"Fuck you."

XXX

At the lab, Danny was on a hunt for Don.

"Hey, Stel!" he stopped Stella in the trace lab, "Seen Don?"

"Why?"

"I'm hunting him. I think I'll harpoon him, skin him and make a nice coat our of his hide. Then I'll cook his meat for dinner, and his teeth will make a nice necklace for Lindsay." Danny said, a serious look on his face.

Stella laughed, "Jesus Christ, Dan. Don't you think that's a little overboard? What'd he do, anyway?"

"He and Christi are having problems. It's all Don's fault."

"That's quite a statement." Stella said.

"Especially for something that isn't true." Danny heard behind him. He swiveled around and faced Don.

"It's not true?" Danny practically yelled, "So you're saying my sister is at fault here! You're blaming her?"

"No, I-"

"You know, you have some fucking nerve! You and Christi married way too young and now your marriage is going down the drain! You cheating bastard! How the hell could you step out on Christi like that? She's falling apart you know-"

"Shut up, Danny!" Don snapped, "We fixed things! I wasn't cheating for God's sakes!"

"You weren't? Why'd Christi think you were?"

Don explained everything to Danny and finished with, "And now we're better. We fixed everything, Danny."

Danny looked dumbstruck. "Oh." he said. His face softened and he said, "I'm sorry, man."

"It's fine."

"It's just… She's my sister. I'm so protective of her and if you ever hurt her, I'll kill you."

"I know. I heard your whole story about treating me like a shark." Don laughed.

"So," Stella interrupted, "Are you two friends again?"

Don and Danny both nodded and Danny said, "Brothers-in-law once again."

XXX

Veronica and Cassidy get to Julliard in record time. Veronica and Cassidy walk into Christi's office beaming brightly.

"What's up with you two?" Christi asked. Veronica held up the two checks and laughed.

"A hundred twenty. Right here, baby."

"For what?" Christi asked.

"For _Quebec_. Cassidy and Lauren Pinnicci forked up the cash. They are my producers, I am the director and you are my choreographer."

"Really?" Christi asked, excited. Cassidy nodded and put the script down on her desk.

"We're glad you can do it. Now that we have that down, we just have to focus on a billion other aspects. Equipment, facilities, costumes, makeup, props, sets. Do you think the cast and crew would work for free?" Cassidy asked.

"The college kids working the lights have to. We'll just tell everyone they'll get their salary after it opens."

"Are you not acting in this one, Veronica?" Christi asked, thumbing through the script.

"I'm directing. I wrote the script."

Christi nodded, "Okay. I'll read it, and then get back to you. Alright?"

"Okay. Have fun in class. Cassidy, do you want me to pick you up?"

"I'll walk." she said, "Why waste a gallon of gas in traffic? Plus, I don't wanna get into a car with you and die. Christi, did you know this girl is a terrible driver?"

"She also has terrible taste in sports teams."

Veronica snorted, "No, no. Celtics all the way."

"Knicks kick ass." Christi disagreed.

Cassidy interjected, "You're making an argument about whether the Celtics or Knicks are better? Please, the Celtics are where it's at! Knicks suck."

Christi laughed, "Well I'm obligated. But ain't no way you're saying that Patriots are better than the Giants."

Veronica shrugged, "They are."

"Well there's one thing you New Yorkers can say." Cassidy said.

"What's that?"

"The Sox don't got nothin' on the Yanks."

Veronica laughed, "I have no feeling of obligation to baseball. However, Islanders, I gotta admit, they're a lot better than the Bruins."

"You know, Massachusetts is very simple with our pro teams. We got the Bruins, Sox, Celtics, Patriots and the Revolutions. Then we got our League teams that no one cares about. New York, however, has all sorts of weird teams. You got the Bills, the Destroyers, the Sabres, the MetroStars. Make up your minds on who you want for the AFL, NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB and MLS." Cass complained.

Veronica shook her head, "Really all they have is a lot of football teams."

"Whatever." Christi laughed, "I gotta quit talking like the New Yorker I am. You two bring it out of me. Your Massachusetts accents taking over… Anyways, I'll call you later, Veronica." Christi said and they parted ways.

**Sorry about the banter about sports teams, but that's honestly how I feel about everything up there.**


	4. Chapter 4

A few weeks had passed and Christi and Don were relaxing at home together on their first day off together in a long time. Don was lying back on the couch and Christi was between his legs with her back against his chest. He had his arms around her waist and he was holding her close to him.

"What about adoption?" Don said out of the blue.

"What?" she asked, not really paying attention.

She had been falling asleep as she had been busy with her teaching her classes and doing the chorography for Veronica and Cassidy's show so she hadn't sleeping much or not at all so she was exhausted.

Don chuckled softly then said, "We can always go and adopt a baby."

"Maybe, it's not same. I mean I know the both of us really want kids but…"

"It's hard knowing you might not be able to do it yourself." He finished knowingly.

"Maybe we can do IVF. An old friend from middle school did it and she was really successful with it. I mean she did say there is more of a chance of twins, triplets, etc." Christi said.

"Yeah and it's expensive and not to mention the daily shots with big ass needles." Christi shuddered at the aspect of a huge needle. "Don't like needles?" he asked.

"Hate them!" she said.

Don laughed and said, "So do I."

She smiled and snuggled closer to him.

"So what do you think about adoption?" he asked.

"I like the idea. Can we talk more about it later? I'm exhausted." She said.

"Sure, go to sleep babe. I have you." He said.

She nodded and buried her face in the crook of his neck. He held her close to him and kissed the top of her head. He gently reached over and into the auto magazine he had there. He began to look over the house paper work he had hid in the magazine and had been looking at earlier that week. He wanted to surprise Christi with a new house.

XXX

"So you can Christi are moving?" Sheldon asked as he and Don were hanging out a few weeks later. They were on the Xbox 360 playing Call of Duty: Black Ops.

"Yeah, I mean we don't need a big house and all this fancy shit. We both grew up without it we can go on without it. It was nice while we had it but it nearly tore us apart and besides we're planning on adopting so we wanna move soon."

"Why not a surrogate parent or IVF?"

"For the first we thought about it and all the people we're close too can't or won't. Stella is seeing that guy, Lindsay needs to be able to focus on her own family and Veronica doesn't want kids so we both highly doubt she'd agree to it so Christi won't even ask so that leave a complete stranger and neither one of us wants a stranger doing that then for IVF really expensive and big needles and she hates needles."

"Besides there are enough kids who need to be adopted." Veronica said as she came through, cleaning up. The guys just stay quiet. "Any ideas on what you two want? Boy or girl?"

"I want a girl but Christi wants a boy."

"Why not twins? One of each?" Veronica said.

"Veronica," Sheldon said, "That's more mouths to feed. Besides, what position are you in to give advice?"

"I'm her best friend. That's the position I'm in."

"So let's say she was to ask you to be a surrogate what would you tell her since you're her best friend?" Sheldon asked, wanting to hear her answer.

"Are you saying that if I said no, it would end our friendship?"

"It wouldn't end your friendship with her but it might hurt her and basically give her no choice but to adopt."

"How about yes, you asshole?" Veronica asked, walking out. He heard her slam the door and he knew he'd set her off.

"Why'd you have to go and bring that up? Christi is still iffy about the whole adoption thing! Now she's gonna bring this up to Christi and she's going to put me out on the couch and I'm going to be in the dog house!"

"Wouldn't she be more at ease though if someone she knew was being the surrogate?"

"Yes but she was going to bring up to her subtle way so that Veronica didn't freak out like she just did."

"Oh."

"Yeah. I should get going before she can call Christi and rat me out." Don said. He got home and heard Christi squealing with excitement.

"Oh my god! Seriously! You'll seriously do it? Like this isn't some sick joke like back when we were in Julliard. You'll seriously do it?" She was silent for a moment then she started to squeal again. "Oh my god! Umm yeah! I'll talk with Donnie about it then get back to you." She hung up and practically ran over to Don and hugged him. "She said yes! She said yes!" Christi giggled.

"That's great baby." He said, hugging her and picking her up and spinning her around making her giggle.

"Are you okay with this?" she asked.

"Of course. She's someone we trust completely." He said, setting her down. She squeals and kissed him. "I have a surprise for you. Go and get dressed." He tells her.

She frowned, suspicious, but went anyway. She came back down a few minutes later in short shorts and a tank top with her hair tied up high in a messy bun.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yup." She said. He smirked and went into his closet. He grabbed another tie from a hanger and covers Christi's eyes with it as a makeshift blind fold. "Donnie what are you doing?"

"It's a surprise. Trust me." He said.

She nodded and let him lead her out to the car. He helped her get in, then got into his own side and drove over to where the surprise was. They got there an hour later and it wasn't that far from the lab or Julliard.

"Okay ready?" he asked.

"Yes! Just take the tie off already!" she said.

He chuckled and pulls it off. "Surprise." He said as a house was revealed to Christi's eyes.

She saw the house with the 'For Sale' sign in front of it but with the 'Sold' sticker slapped across it. "Donnie?"

"It's ours. Completely. No mortgage or anything. The previous owners were planning to start a family and already have a nursery set up but she miscarried again and now she can't have children so they're selling the house and when I told them that we want to start a family they told me they'll include the furniture and everything in the nursery."

Christi smiled and grabbed the keys from him and ran inside smiling. He chuckled and went after her. He showed her around the house and then he showed her the nursery.

"Wow. This is amazing! I love the whole deep sea theme as its gender neutral."

"Yeah me too. We can move in whenever we like." He said.

"Next weekend?" she asked hopefully.

"If you want to move in next weekend we can do it next weekend."

"Next weekend." She said.

"Good."

She smiled as they head home and she goes right over to Veronica's. "RONNIE!" she yelled, walking into the house.

Veronica came out of the kitchen looking at her. "What's up?"

"Okay what I'm about to tell you, you can't freak out." She said.

"What?"

"Well Don and I are moving next weekend. It's closer to the lab and to the school. Plus there's a nursery already all set up and everything."

"Oh my god that's great!" Veronica cried out happily.

"I know. I'm so excited. I mean things are finally looking up for us. I mean we're gonna be starting a family with you helping us, we moving into the most adorable house you have like ever seen and things are finally looking up! Oh and Danny was able to get his foot to move today! He was at therapy and was just sitting staring out the ceiling to floor window as it starts down pouring and he got his left foot to twitch." Christi smiled happily.

"You owe me for this by the way. I'm losing my super slim body for this! Not to mention everything I'm going to have to go through for this."

"I know and I really appreciate this. I mean I really do. I'll make sure you're the baby's godmother and number one favorite aunt ever."

"You better."

"I am. We'll help with the medical expenses and everything."

"Sheldon and I can take care of that."

"Nonsense!"

"I'm going to sit here and bicker with you."

"And I'm not going to sit here and let you pay for this."

"We'll split it then."

"Fine. If this works we'll switch off on paying the co-pay for doctors visits." Christi said.

"So is it going to be IVF type but instead of the fertilized eggs being re-implanted in your uterus it's going to be implanted in my uterus?" Veronica confirmed.

"Yeah that's how we're doing it."

"Will it hurt?"

"It depends on your tolerance for pain. When Don and I did it for me it hurt like a bitch. But of course you Miss Can Dance with a Broken Foot here have a high tolerance." Christi giggled.

Veronica smiled and said, "I only danced because I had two shows that night. Velma Kelly didn't have an understudy."

"I know and you didn't even flinch when you did your act of desperation. If that had been me I would have been cursing left and right in Italian and told everyone to fuck off."

Veronica laughed and rolled her eyes.

"So what do you two want?"

"I know I definitely want a little boy but Don wants a girl."

Sheldon came in and looked at Veronica. "Hey can we talk alone?"

"Sure."

"I have to go anyway. I'll see you later." Christi said as she left.

"I'm sorry for being a prick earlier."

"It's alright. I over reacted as well."

"So you're gonna be surrogate for Christi and Don?"

"Yeah. I mean they really want a family so I figured I'd be their surrogate for them."

"I guess a lot is going to be happening soon then?"

"A whole lot. Morning sickness, strange cravings, swollen ankles and feet, mood swings, and I'm going to be getting fat and ugly as hell."

"You will never be far or ugly to me. You'll always be beautiful to me. Besides why don't you say after this if you're up to it we have our own family?"

"Well I'll probably love being pregnant so much I'll want to have another." she said sarcastically.

Sheldon smiled and kissed her cheek, "I'll love you being pregnant."

She smiled and kissed him then leaned against him.

"You know I love you right?" he asked.

"I love you too." She said, kissing him softly.

He smiled into the kiss and picked her up. He carried her upstairs to their room and kicked the door closed.


	5. Chapter 5

"So they're gonna… Wait… What's gonna happen?" Sheldon asked, confused.

"Am I using too many grown-up words for you?" Veronica teased. Veronica had shown up at the lab with Thai food as a surprise for Sheldon. They were talking about the surrogacy and the in vitro fertilization.

"No, it's just… Okay, so the doctors are gonna put Christi's an Don's-"

"Baby-making fluids-" Veronica smirked.

"-Together… And… Then fertilize her eggs, then put it in your-"

"Uterus." Veronica nodded, "Along the lines of that. I think… Actually, I'm completely lost on what will happen."

"So am I."

"I guess we're undereducated on the logistics of baby-making-the technological way." Veronica laughed. Don laughed too, but they stopped as Christi and Don came into the lab.

"What were you guys talking about?" Don asked.

"Ooh, Thai food!" Christi smiled, reaching for some. Veronica slapped her hand away.

"That's my mother's recipe that you can have none of! I made this with love for me and Sheldon."

"That's the khanom chin from Little Thailand across the street, you liar."

"Hmmm…" Veronica mused, "Seems like Little Thailand stole this recipe from my mother."

Christi shook her head, "Your first doctors appointment is tomorrow."

"No can do, m'dear." Veronica said, wiping her mouth, "Tomorrow I've got a lot to do."

"Do it the next day."

"I can't."

"What are you doing that's so important?" Christi snapped, annoyed.

"We've got to get more producers, investors, managers, dance captain, advertisers, a press representative… I mean, that's gonna take up the whole next week."

"Well I already scheduled two appointments for tomorrow and Friday."

"Change them, then. I can't work this around my job."

"You know what, then just forget it!" Christi snapped. She stormed out of the room, muttering in Italian.

Sheldon stared at the door, then at Veronica with a confused look. Veronica rolled her eyes at both the guys and shook her head, "Such a drama queen."

XXX

Later that evening, Sheldon and Veronica were sitting on their couch together. Veronica remembered the buying of it well. She fought for it, even though the black leather sofa cost four and a half thousand dollars.

Veronica had her MacBook in her lap, doing business. Sheldon, on the other hand, went home with an unusually small load of work. He had finished and was reading a book now.

"So…" Veronica said, not looking up, "I was thinking we'd go to Saint Gaultier for our next vacation."

"My closest vacation time is next month." he said, "Two weeks off."

"Okay. Want me to book it?"

"We can't go on the trip." he said, "You'll be pregnant."

"I'll be in my first trimester. The only thing that could delay our trip is me having morning sickness and swollen boobs."

"Christi will never let you go on the trip. Not while you're pregnant." he said.

"You seem a little cross with me." Veronica pointed out, "What's up?"

"You didn't have to say 'I can't work this around my job'. The way you said it… It sounded more like 'I'm not going to do this'."

Veronica raised her eyebrows and chuckled, "I can't work it around my job. My career is everything to me. I'm not about to let a child get in the way of a play I'm producing."

"If your career means so much to you, why'd you agree to carry the baby? If you aren't willing to work your working around the doctor's appointments, and the rest of the schedule. The looks on Christi's and Don's faces were that of hurt, were that of betrayal."

"How come they can't work the schedule around my job? My job came first. Before the baby. In fact, _Quebec_-it's _my_ baby!"

"There's specific dates and a whole big schedule that you need to be available for, Veronica!"

"So you expect me to give up everything? Just for this? It seems like I'm already giving up a whole damn lot!"

"Yes, I do." he said shortly.

"Oh," she frowned, raising her eyebrows, "You want me to be some sort of stay-at-home housewife who does nothing but clean and cook? Run errands, drop off your dry cleaning? Do nothing productive?"

"In fact, when I married you, I thought that's who I was gonna get."

"I bet I'm a big disappointment, huh? Traveling all the time, doing shows, being famous! A shit-ton more than you ever did!"

"Veronica, why don't you just take it easy with the working?"

"I already am, Sheldon. I could be at the stage right now, I could be at dinner right now with Lucas Perry, discussing what to look for in my actors. I could be booking auditions right now, I could be, but I'm not. Right now, I'm on the couch with you, one my computer. I'm half looking at things about Saint Gaultier and half working on the script-tweaking, adjusting, making songs and dialogue perfect."

"When you are not working, Veronica, leave work for work and home for home."

"You're such a fucking hypocrite! You bring home fifty files a day, always talking about some murder case you have, and you depress the hell out of me!"

"I bring it home to get it done faster, to get the cases closed faster! I bring them home so I can keep you safe from psycho killers, so that you'll be safe!"

"Oh, yeah." she scoffed, "Some serial killer is totally gonna come after me!"

She stood up and went to the front door, then opened it. Sheldon eyed her warily, "What are you doing?"

"Hey!" she yelled outside, "Come and fucking get me, serial killers! Come and kill me-Veronica, Hawkes, five-foot… something, a hundred and something pounds, black hair, skinny, tan, Asian and Hispanic-C'mon, come and get me now before all the others do! I've got a waiting list, damn it! And I'm a fucking Broadway actor, director and producer and the wife of a cop, so seriously, come and get me, assholes!" she screeched.

Sheldon stood up and rushed over, and covered her mouth, "Shut the hell up, Veronica. The neighbors will think you're crazy."

"At least they don't think I have erectile dysfunction." she challenged. She walked off stonily, and didn't look at him for the rest of the evening.

XXX

"I don't know, mom." Christi moaned the next morning. She was on the phone with her mother, talking about the entire Veronica thing.

"What don't you know? It's not like your friend bailed all together. She and you have a disagreement-it's natural. She's still up for it, so are you."

"Maybe it's a sign I'm not meant to have children."

"Christi, stop." her mother demanded, "You will have children. Veronica didn't even say 'No I will not have your child'."

"I know, but… I'm just so angry and frustrated and betrayed!"

"Christi, hush." her mother snapped. Christi did as she was told and listened as her mother lectured her, "Christi, you will have children. I promise, you are going to have a baby. Veronica is going to carry your child for you, pop it out and you'll have a little son or daughter. Quit being melodramatic because it will happen. You just have to be optimistic. And then in twenty-some years, you'll be me. Sitting on the phone with your son or daughter, listening to their problems. Now go to Veronica's house, and make up with her."

Christi didn't say anything, and neither did her mother. In took a few minutes for her to realize the line was dead and her mother had hung up.

Christi's hands shook in nervousness as she drove to Veronica's house. She clutched the wheel of her Nissan so rigidly, her hands went white. She didn't realize it when she had pulled up to the wrought iron gates of Veronica's house. She entered the driveway, and parked. But she stayed there a couple minutes, building the courage to go in.

She finally walked up to the giant door, and pushed the button to ring the bell. Two deep, hollow chimes rang, and somebody opened the door. It was the maid.

"Hello, Mrs. Flack. Mrs. Hawkes is in her room."

Christi made her way up the stairs anxiously. What would she say to Veronica? What would Veronica say to her?

She heard singing coming from Veronica and Sheldon's bedroom.

"_Wine and cheese, c'est la vie, all for you, dormez-vous. That's life my friend… Get over it!_" Veronica paused in her song, and continued a few seconds later, "_Voilà comment ça se passe. You need to accept, the fact is we're all… Probably in debt… C'est la vie, c'est la vie!_ _And we've all worked our Canadian asses off for you! Dormez-vous, dormez-vous."_

She stopped singing, so Christi walked in. Veronica was going through about fifty different designer outfits on the bed. An Emilio Pucci serape was draped around her neck and she had a pair of Christian Louboutin Mary Janes buckled together, holding them with one finger.

She picked up a Kate Spade dress with shiny silver fabric and held it to her silhouette, then turned to look in the full-length mirror beside her. She sighed and threw the shoes on the bed, then hung the dress by its hanger on her closet door. She took off the serape to reveal she was only wearing a lacey white bra and matching boy shorts.

"Hey, Veronica." Christi said, knocking softly on the open door. Veronica turned and smiled.

"Hey, Christi." she said like nothing was wrong. She grabbed a pair of grey quarter leggings and a black silk long sleeved shirt and slipped them on. "What's up?"

"Well I was just wondering… You know… If you're still gonna do the surrogacy?"

"Of course. I never said I wasn't."

"I know, but you said… You kind of implied it."

"Yeah, that's what Sheldon thinks, too. I don't think I did anything wrong but if you really want an apology… Whatever! I'm sorry for being a bitch or something." she shrugged.

"Don't apologize for something you don't think you did. You don't mean it."

"Of course I don't. I was just stating that my work life means everything to me."

"And you aren't willing to change it to have my baby, so you aren't really committed."

"No, I'm very committed, Christi." Veronica shrugged and continued to go through outfits, "I just love my work. _Quebec_ is my baby. I need to finish it, and you'll have to work the appointments around my work life. Not the other way around."

"Whatever, I won't fight with you." Christi said, "I refuse."

"Good."

"Yeah, good." Veronica shrugged.

"So… When's a good time for an appointment?"

"I think tomorrow at like… Three. My meeting with Luke is at about… Two thirty. It won't run long. He doesn't have a lot of time for it."

"Okay. So I'll schedule one for tomorrow at three. That's good."

"Okay. Good."

"Veronica, I wanna thank you so much."

"It's no problem." Veronica said, even though it kind of was.


End file.
